STYLE ADVICE

Stylish guys in pink

By Libby Banks, 22 August 2016

In recent months, an often-overlooked colour has experienced an image overhaul that has taken it from sartorial outlier to summer style staple. The enlightened man knows that when styled with confidence, pink packs a punch. We've praised the virtues of dusty blush basics before, but as we move into the new season, it’s time to take it up a notch. Here are five ways to pile on the pink right now.

Picture: Rex

Casual cool

Perhaps the easiest way to get some pink into the mix is via the medium of leisurewear. It’s a style lesson that was perfectly demonstrated by the casuals on the football terraces of the early 80s. The subculture’s meticulously styled minimalist pieces in pastel tones is a look worth tapping right now – Oliver Cheshire’s pink trackies are a solid starting point, although the blazer-over-track-jacket up top is a front-row affectation you can choose to ignore, if you wish.

For unenlightened souls, the fear of wearing pink is that it has an 'effeminate' subtext (whatever that means). For the rest, it’s simply a case of styling the shade with confidence and individuality. So for those who have mastered the colour, getting florals in the mix is an easy transition. Leading the patterned parade is Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, who has persuaded everyone from Tyga to Harry Styles to wear his floral suits and appliquéd flared jeans, while it’s no surprise that Wiz – a disciple of both pink hues and the floral shirt – has combined the two styles to strong effect. Toughen yours up with leather and denim for rockstar-worthy steez.

Picture: Getty

If in doubt, accessorise

Not ready to commit to a head-to-toe ensemble? Focus on the accessories. A shot of pastel pink, via a cap or trainers, is an easy way to give personality to a simple monochrome outfit. Here, Tyler, The Creator nails it with a powerful pastel baseball cap on top of a complementary, subtly ice-cream-flavoured ‘fit.

Picture: Rex

Sharpen it up

Pink shirts are not just the domain of Gordon Gekko-type city boys. A pale-pink button-up plays especially well with classic tailoring – perfect with a deep blue suit and dark brown shoes. Choose a shirt with a cutaway collar and a slim-fit to keep things nice and modern. Paul Rudd kicks it up a notch further, piecing together bluey green, pale pink and chocolate brown for a unique take on smart that stands out for the right reasons.

Picture: Rex

Try dusty hues

We’ve already celebrated the benefits of a dusty, sun-bleached take on rosy tones via the new Desert Pink trend. The beauty of these dirty blush tones is that they look sophisticated when offset with neutral tones like khaki or navy – a boxy tee, like Jaden Smith’s, under a bleached-out denim jacket is an easy way to lift your breezy downtime style into something Scandi-cool while smashing the heck out of AW16’s key colour palette.